How can I work for the United Nations?

The Ministry does not act as a recruiting agent for the United Nations.

You must apply for jobs directly through the United Nations. Employment opportunities are advertised on the UN website (external link) .

This site provides detailed recruitment information.

The UN recruits staff in areas as diverse as administration, statistics and peacekeeping.

Internships

The UN offers a set number of internships to the UN Secretariat in New York. Other UN offices, funds and programmes such as the UN Development Programme and the International Labour Organisation have separate internship arrangements.

Students interested in interning at organisations or offices other than the UN Headquarters Secretariat in New York should directly contact the respective offices for further information. You can apply online to be an intern (external link).

One word of caution: interns are not paid for their work, and New York is an expensive city to live in!

UN Volunteers

UNV serves as an operational partner in development cooperation at the request of UN member states, and works through the United Nations Development Programme’s country offices around the world. UNV supports the activities of UN agencies, governments and NGOs in key areas such as poverty reduction, democratic governance, energy, the environment, crisis prevention and recovery, and health. Since 1971, UNV has mobilised some 40,000 mid-career professionals. Reaffirming the programme’s commitment to promoting South-South cooperation, the vast majority (77 percent) of UN Volunteers are nationals of developing countries.